Quenching nozzle



J. P. TARBOX QUENCHING NOZZLE Oct. 3, 1944.

Filed Sept. 11, 1943 Patented Oct. 3, 1944 QUENCHIN G NOZZLE John P. Tarbox, Philadelphia, Pa., assignor to Budd Induction Heating, Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Michigan 4 Claims.

This invention relates to quenching nozzles and particularly to those employed in quenching the inner heated surfaces of annular articles.

In one well known arrangement a tubular nozzle is provided with axially spaced, circumferential rows of ports through which the quenching fluid i ejected and caused to impinge on the surface within the annulus of which the nozzle v, is first located. In order to obtain substantially uniform extraction of heat per unit of area per unit of time it is essential to insure a full volume flow of quenching fluid through all the ports of the nozzle. For this purpose it has heretofore been customary to provide internal pins of tapered or other shape for the purpose of progressively reducing the cross section of the flow area within the nozzle in the direction of fluid flow so that the desired pressure will be maintained through the ports adjacent the closed end of the nozzle as well as through those adjacent the pressure end.

An object of this invention is to provide a quenching nozzle of the type set forth constructed and arranged to insure the necessary volume flow through the various ports without requiring the use of extraneous members such as inner pins or the like.

This and other objects which will be apparent are accomplished by the invention hereinafter described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which,

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view through a quenching nozzle constructed in accordance with one embodiment of this invention,

Fig. 2 is a transverse sectional view on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 and,

Figs. 3 and 4 are diagrammatic views illustrating the operation of the nozzle shown in Fig. 1.

As illustrated, the invention comprises a quenching nozzle formed by a tubular member 5 having threads 8, or the like, adjacent the open end for securing the nozzle to an associated supporting and fluid supply member not shown. The tubular member is provided with a plurality of amally spaced, circumferential rows of ports "I through which streams 8 of quenching fluid are ejected to impinge on the surrounding heated surface 8 of a work piece.

The inner bore H of the tubular member is so formed as to progressively reduce the cross section of the flow area in the direction of fluid flow by means of successive shoulders l2 of successively smaller diameter adjacent each succeeding row of ports 1. Each shoulder has a sharp up- Application September 11, 1943, Serial No. 501,959

wardly facing portion l3 forming the inner side edge of a groove l4 communicating with the inner ends of the associated row of ports. The lower surface of the groove i4 is preferably tangent to the bottoms of the port 'I,' while the outer side of the groove is formed by the lower end of an inwardly sloping wall I5 formed in the inner bore of the tubular member above each circumferential row of ports I. The successive shoulders l2 are of progressively reduced diameter and, in order to avoid the necessity of having the ports near the lower end of the nozzle of excessive length, the outer wall of the tubular member is also progressively reduced in diameter by steps corresponding to the stepped construction of the inner wall. The lower end of the nozzle can be closed in any desired manner such, for example, as by a threaded plug IS, the inner end of which is rounded and has an edge coinciding with the bottoms of the ports in the lowermost row.

In operation-the nozzle is positioned within an annular article indicated by the surface 9, the inner wall of which is to be quenched and the inner diameter of'which is in excess of the diameter of the nozzle by an amount somewhat greater than is required for the; removal of quenching fluid after its impingement on the surface. Preferably, the circumferential spacing between adjacent ports of a given row, and the axial spacing between successive rows is such,

- with. relation to the diameter of the work" piece being quenched, that the center of impingement of each stream 8 on the work surface is substantially equally spaced from the center of impingement of the adjacent streamsin the same row and from the center of impingement of the adjacent stream in the adjacent rows. In Figs. 3 and 4, the circumferential spacing A between the centers of impingement of adjacent streams in a certain row is substantially equal to the axial spacing B between-the centers of the streams in adjacent rows. Quenching fluid is introduced through the nozzle through the upper end in the usual way and the pressure within the tube is so distributed by the progressively contracting flow area therein as to produce the desired volume and velocity of flow through all of the ports I. This flow through each port is such per unit of time as to equate the extraction of heat per unit of area per unit of time'by a given stream with that into the ports 1 smoothly and with relatively little turbulence.

It will be apparent that the invention can be variously modified and adapted within the scope oi the'appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A quenching nozzle comprising a tubular member having an inner construction progressively reducing the internal annular cross section said member in a plurality of uniform. constrict ing steps in the direction of fluidfiow, and a plurality of discharge ports arranged in the wall of said member in a plurality of circumferential rows, each row being associated with one of said 7 steps whereby each constricting step causes a predetermined discharge of fluid from each of said rows of ports.

3. A quenching nozzle for quenching an interior annular surface when said surface is spaced from the nozzle by a distance substantially in excess of that needed for removal of quenching fluid after its impingement on said surfacejcomprising a tubular member adapted to be inserted into the space surrounded by said surface and having axially spaced, circumferential rows of ports for directing streams of quenching fluid onto said surface, said tubular member being of decreasing cross-sectional flow area in the direction of fluid flow to discharge predetermined controlled quantities oi. fluid through said ports, the wall of the tubular member being of stepped construction and formed with a groove adjacent each row of ports, shaped to intercept part of the fluid flowing through said member and direct it outwardly through the adjacent ports. I

4. A quenching nozzle for quenching an interior annular surface of determinate area when such surface is spaced from the nozzzle by a distance substantially in excess of that needed for removal of quenching fluid after its impingement on said surface, comprising a tubular member adapted to be inserted into the space surrounded by said surface and having axially spacedcircumferential rows of ports for directing streams of quenching fluid onto said surface, means efiecting a progressive decrease in the cross-sectional flow area within the said member in the direction of fluid flow including a stepped wall forming a shoulder adjacent each row of ports for intercepting the fluid flowing through said conduit and directing it outwardly through the adjacent ports, the relative cross-sectional areas of the ports and the flow area within the tubular member in the vicinity of each port being such that there is discharged through each port that quantity of quenching fluid per unit of time which equates the extractionof heat per unit of area per unit "of time from that area upon which the stream from a given port impinges with the extraction of heat from each other unit of area upon which streams from the other ports impinge.

JOHN P. TARBOX. 

